The smears against Haitian immigrants, which Biden called “simply wrong,” inspired a slate of bomb threats in Ohio
Published September 13, 2024 7:19PM (EDT)
President of United States Joe Biden at the Ukraine Compact during the final day of the NATO Summit in Washington DC, United States on July 11, 2024. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
President Joe Biden strongly condemned former President Donald Trump’s continued racist attacks on Haitian immigrants in an Ohio town, calling the smears “simply wrong.”
Outside the White House on Friday, in remarks before a brunch celebrating Black excellene, Biden defended the Haitian-American community — including White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre — and denounced the incendiary comments comments from Trump.
“I want to take a moment to say something. So many Americans, like Karine [Jean-Pierre], as you point out, is a proud Haitian American, a community that’s under attack in our country right now. It’s simply wrong,” Biden said. “This has to stop, what he’s doing. It has to stop.”
Trump has repeatedly accused Haitian immigrants in the town of Springfield, Ohio of eating local pets. The white nationalist rumor spread quickly after being boosted by Turning Point USA’s Charlie Kirk and Sen. Ted Cruz.
The attacks against Haitian immigrants from Trump and running mate JD Vance have motivated bomb threats at schools in Springfield. On Friday, Trump refused to back down from the bigoted rhetoric, instead promising to deport Haitian immigrants, despite their legal status.
“We will do large deportations from Springfield, Ohio. Large deportations. We’re gonna get these people out,” Trump said.
The Harris campaign has also denounced the bigoted remarks, with vice presidential nominee Tim Walz shutting down chants of “we don’t eat cats” in Michigan on Thursday, saying “it would be funnier, too, if it wasn’t so dangerous.”